He was a research assistant at the Kurhessen Waldeck Lutheran Theological College, focusing on peace education and intercultural dialogue from 1982 to 1986.

After the dissolution of the social ministry in Herne, Klute worked as a study supervisor for school ethics at the Bochum City Lutheran Academy from 2007 to 2009.

He has been a co-publisher and member of the editorial team of the periodical AMOS - Kritische Blätter aus dem Ruhrgebiet since 1988.

During the 2005 election campaign in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Klute was the leading candidate of the WASG (Wahlalternative Arbeit und soziale Gerechtigkeit).

In 2010 and 2011 he was a member of the Special Committee for Policy Challenges, which prepared negotiations concerning the multi-annual financial framework for the EU period 2014–2020.

Klute also contributed as a chief negotiator to formulate a directive through European Parliament to the Member States for an EU-wide establishment of the legal right to a checking account which will begin in 2016.